The Ohio State golf program has a better history than most people think. They produced the greatest golfer of all time in Jack Nicklaus. Nicklaus has the most major championships in men's golf history, a record that likely won't be broken anytime soon, with the next closest player being Tiger Woods with 15.
Some recent Ohio State golfers have shown some promise of being able to make it on tour. One of those is Neal Shipley. Shipley was the low amateur in the Masters a couple of years ago and is trying to earn his PGA Tour card for years to come.
His performance over the weekend was something that helped him get closer to that goal. Playing in the Korn Ferry Tour, which is like the minor leagues of golf, Shipley got his first professional win in dramatic fashion. He won it with a birdie on the fifth playoff hole.
Former Ohio State golfer Neal Shipley gets his first professional win
Shipley finished -18 in his four rounds at Lakewood National GC in order to get his win. It is a tournament that should give him a lot of confidence that what he is doing is on the right track. If he can get another win on the KFT Tour, he can earn his PGA Tour card.
Of course, Shipley has played in PGA Tour events before. That will be the next evolution in his game. He will be trying to get a win on Tour soon, but he needs to keep winning on the Korn Ferry Tour first. He is one of the young players who has a lot of talent.
The Buckeyes are certainly happy to see Shipley get his first professional win. It's something they can use as a recruiting tool for their program moving forward, too.